Blog Archives

Who needs a reason?

1/18/2016

I am always looking for ways to justify my indulgences and this time of year, hot chocolate is pretty high on that list. If you need a reason (or five) to drink hot chocolate (other than the thermometer saying -18°), check these out. I especially like #4…I think I need to increase my consumption!

1. According to the USDA cocoa powder is a good source of fiber and iron. Dark chocolate contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, Vitamin A, and Vitamin K.

2. According to the American Heart Association, those same antioxidants lower the risk of heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.

3. According to a study done by Cornell University in 2013, cocoa has twice the antioxidants of red wine and three times as many as green tea (the higher the percentage of cacao the better).

4. A 2013 study in Neurology journal suggested that drinking two cups a day could help stave off Alzheimer’s. A study published in Nature Neuroscience in 2014 cited evidence that cocoa consumption can increase cognitive function.

And finally, what women everywhere already knew,

5. Chocolate releases stress and makes us feel good. Scientifically stated, chocolate contains serotonin and tryptophan and “releases certain neurotransmitters.” But I think we’ve all done our own research and established this.

For the whole article go to:
http://www.weather.com/health/news/hot-cocoa-health-benefits?_escaped_fragment_

I got my favorite hot chocolate recipe when I was in college...it's instant, my kind of chocolate fix.

Hot Chocolate Mix
8 qt sized box powdered milk (10½ cups)
1 cup powdered coffee creamer

1 lb Nestle Quik (2½ cups)
½ cup powdered sugar

Mix together and store. Use 3-4 tablespoons to a cup of hot water (more or less to taste).

0 Comments

New Years Resolutions ?

1/5/2016

0 Comments

I decided to give up New Years resolutions based on the idea that it takes 21 days to form a new habit. Instead of overwhelming myself with a long list of improvements, I planned to just work on one issue a month. Wouldn’t you know it…scientific research messed up my scheme.

The idea of the 21 days to form a habit came from Psych-Cybernetics published in 1960 by plastic surgeon, Maxwell Maltz. Maltz noticed that it took his patience about 21 days to adjust to physical changes. He then experimented on himself and noted that it took him about 21 days to form a habit. He concluded that it requires “a minimum of about 21 days to change a mental image.” Over time the “minimum” and “about” were dropped from popular usage and the adage became that it takes 21 days to change a habit.

But then in 2010 University College London did a study tracking 96 people over 84 days and concluded that it took an average of 66 days for a behavior to become automatic. Sixty-six days was the average. The length of time depended on the individual and the difficulty of the change. Some people achieved their assigned behavioral change in only 18 days. Others in the study had not achieved the desired change by the end of the 84 days!

Bummer.

So this year, I’m going to give myself at least two months to accomplish each resolution before I give up.

I decided my first goal Sunday (yes, it was the 3rd day of the year, I’ll work on being prompt later on). I am going to work on developing an attitude of gratitude. It’s so easy to be negative. I remembered posting a picture to complain about how cold it was last year on the first Sunday in January. So this year I am posting a new picture for the first Sunday in January and saying, “I am very grateful for a mild winter!” (I had to get this in today because I hear it’s going to get really cold this weekend).

0 Comments

One of the things I enjoy most about gardening is the solitude. It is a place to escape the noise and busy-ness of the day, to quiet my soul and listen to the birds, to bask in the beautiful creation and worship the Creator.
Sometimes the mood is serious and awe inspiring but other times it's
the delightful
entertainment of a silly chicken or a pensive toad.
I invite you to join me in this journey of discovery and re-creation.
Donna